Supporters of Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro attend a rally in support of him in Caracas, Venezuela Aug. 6, 2018. | Photo: Reuters

“I am going to show evidence and testimony. Our people want justice against terrorism. Justice,” Maduro said concluding his statement.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro announced that he will be presenting forceful evidence incriminating the government of Colombia in the failed assassination perpetrated against him on Saturday in the capital Caracas.

“I inform the people of Venezuela that we continue to work on the investigations into assassination attempt in a degree of frustration, and in the next few hours I will be presenting strong evidence of the links that the Colombian oligarchy has with the events on Avenida Bolivar,” the president said in a video posted on his official Twitter account early Tuesday.

Also, the president said that the executors of the plan received training in the city of Chinacotá, department of Santander in Colombian territory.

“It is clear and there is sufficient proof of the participation of the Colombian government of the outgoing Juan Manuel Santos. We have the location, the names of the place in Chinacota Norte de Santander where they trained, the assassins, the terrorists, all in the coming hours.

In this regard, the Venezuelan head of state confirmed that all those involved in the terrorist act have already been captured.

Minister for Internal Relations, Justice and Peace, Néstor Reverol noted that one of those involved has an arrest warrant for his involvement in the attack on Fort Paramacay base in 2017, while another was held in prison in connection to the 2014 violent anti-government protests known as guarimbas.

“I am going to show evidence and testimony. Our people want justice against terrorism. Justice,” Maduro said concluding his statement.

Statement of WPC about the attempt of assassination of the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro

The World Peace Council condemns in the most vehement way the attempt for assassination of the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro, which constitutes a coward act of the forces which are trying since some time to destabilize the country , its economy and elected government.

The WPC denounces to the peace loving people of the world the foreign interference and the sponsoring of an economic war expressed in many ways including violent actions of forces with dubious agenda.

The attempt to assasinate the President of the country in Venezuela and similar actions are being fed by statements and actions of the previous and current US administration, from the European Union and in cooperation with elements of the oligarchy and reactionary forces.

The WPC expresses its solidarity with the people of Venezuela, with our Member Organisation “Comite de Solidaridad Internacional (COSI)” and the anti-imperialist peace loving forces of the country in their efforts to defend the achievements and to deepen the changes and transformations in favour of the people and youth of Venezuela, against foreign and local reaction.

“We Denounce the Attempted Political Assassination and the Planned Military Overthrow of the Democratically Elected Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela”

The Caribbean Chapter of the International Network in Defense of Humanity strongly condemns the assassination attempt on the duly elected President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro Moros, that took place on Saturday August 4th, 2018.

Whilst the global pro-imperialist news media has been more interested in reporting the attack as “amateurish”, we see the attack as only the most recent and most aggressively desperate manifestation of a long and persistent assault on the sovereignty of Venezuela and of longstanding efforts to thwart the will of the Venezuelan people.

We view this attempt on the life of President Maduro as confirmation that the enemies of Venezuela’s socialism are now acknowledging their failure at overthrowing the Bolivarian government through electoral manipulation, mass protest, media propaganda ,and economic destabilization. We therefore identify this shift to a new stage of political assassination and criminality as a sign of failure, but also a disturbing sign of dangerous desperation on the part of the anti-socialist right wing extremist forces both inside and outside Venezuela.

Our Chapter of the International Network In Defense of Humanity does not separate the assassination attempt on President Maduro from the several years of threats of military intervention, open support for and identification with acts of criminal aggression, and a sustained anti-Maduro campaign by the most powerful country in the Western Hemisphere and by the agents of capitalism. Indeed, we have noted that these acts of internal aggression against the Bolivarian government have not only taken the form of orchestrated violent mass demonstrations, but have also included a helicopter attack with the use of grenades and an assault on the parliament building of Venezuela.

We therefore use this sad occasion to call on the regional news media and on our Caribbean governments to exercise vigilance and to avoid allowing themselves to be used as pawns in an illicit campaign of military and economic aggression against a friendly sister nation.

Despite our awareness of the history of imperialist and right-wing aggression towards the socialist government of Venezuela, our Caribbean Chapter of the Network was nevertheless shocked that in their single-minded desire to reverse the socialist path of Venezuela, the fascist, oligarchical enemies of the Bolivarian Republic would attempt to use such extreme and barbaric violence that could have potentially taken the lives of scores of citizens, as well as the lives of the democratically elected leadership of the country.

We unequivocally condemn this open resort to terrorism, and call on our Caribbean governments to reiterate our region’s commitment to the furtherance of peace, the rule of law and democracy.

Finally, the Caribbean Chapter of the International Network in Defense of Humanity expresses its satisfaction that President Maduro and the political leadership of Venezuela were not hurt in the attack. We also express our empathy with the patriots and soldiers who were injured during the attack and wish them a speedy recovery. Our Network would also like to record that we are pleased with the words of magnanimity spoken by President Maduro following the attack and his words of advice to the opposition that “While I guarantee you can live in this country peacefully. If something happens to me, you will have to face millions of campesinos and humble people making justice with their own hands…”.

The Caribbean Chapter of the International Network In Defense of Humanity urges the Venezuelan Opposition forces to adhere to the principles of democratic dialogue, peace and mutual co-existence and to avoid the urgings of those from outside who are impelling them to resort to violence and criminality in the pursuit of their political objectives.

After learning about the horrendous attempt against the life of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, we would like to show our support and solidarity with the People and Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

Such incident is yet another cowardly demonstration of the incessant level of attack, harassment, sabotage, destabilization and low-intensity warfare employed to destroy Venezuelan democracy and well-being.

We are confident that once again the People and Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela will overcome all these threats and come out victorious, based on their Bolivarian and socialist principles of independence, sovereignty and patriotism.

Venezuela is a friendly Caribbean nation that has stood in solidarity with us in the past.

The Friends of Venezuela Solidarity Committee (Barbados), Cuban Barbadian Friendship Association and the Caribbean Movement for Peace and Integration call on the Government of Barbados and CARICOM to condemn this action against the President, Government and People of Venezuela.

The apparent assassination of a highly regarded public figure has rocked Ethiopia to its core. Simegnew Bekele, the architect overseeing a prestigious hydroelectric project in Ethiopia, was shot dead last week in the capital Addis Ababa by an unknown attacker. Many people in the Horn of Africa country are now suspecting a foreign hand behind his brutal slaying.

Bekele (53) was a much-loved public figure. He was seen as embodying a vision for Ethiopia’s political independence and economic development. The hydroelectric dam he oversaw was his life’s work and he was revered by the wider population for his dedication.

Now what appears to be his cold-blooded murder has shocked the nation.

The killing comes amid concern that a newly appointed prime minister is part of a geopolitical shakeup of Ethiopia to bring the country under the geopolitical sway of Washington and its Arab regional clients, away from Ethiopia’s recent strategic alignment with China.

In African security matters, Ethiopia may have been an ally of the United States for the past three decades. But in terms of its more important economic development, the country has relied on China.

China’s growing stature in Africa – much to the chagrin of the US – has been largely prefigured by its close strategic partnership with Ethiopia.

Ethiopia is long seen as the spiritual and diplomatic leader of the 54 nations of the continent, proudly standing as being the one nation never historically colonized by European powers. Through its economic partnership with Beijing, Ethiopia was in many ways China’s gateway to the rest of Africa.

Political Shift

The coming into office of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali – by parliamentary selection – nearly four months ago has signaled a shift in the internal and international politics of Ethiopia. That change appears to be giving the US a greater role in the economic development of the country in a way that relegates China’s erstwhile dominant role.

The murder of chief engineer Bekele last Thursday casts a foreboding shadow over the future of Ethiopia. It also casts a shadow over the new prime minister and his much-vaunted leadership.

Youthful premier Abiy Ahmed (41) has up to now won glowing praise in Western news media as a “reformer”. He has promised to open up key sectors of the economy to foreign capital and to broaden its multiparty democracy.

Since Ethiopia’s revolutionary war against the Derg dictatorship nearly 30 years ago, the country has been ruled by a coalition government largely dominated by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). The Tigray are a minority ethnic group from the north of Ethiopia which led the revolutionary war against the despotic Derg regime.

Premier Ahmed was previously part of the ruling coalition government, having served as a minister, and in military intelligence. But he comes from the Oromo ethnic group, which is the most populous in Ethiopia’s nation of 100 million, comprising some 84 different ethnic groups. The Oromo are associated with supporting the former Derg regime.

For the past three decades there have been ongoing acrimonious tensions between the Oromo and Tigray people. Since Ahmed came to office, there are fears among the Tigray especially that he is stealthily rehabilitating remnants of the old regime. He has released hundreds of political prisoners in the name of “reforms”, but several of these figures are accused by the Tigray of having committed past acts of grave violence against the state.

The revolutionary Cuban government issued a declaration forcefully denouncing the attempted attack on the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro Moros, which occurred Saturday August 4, during a military parade in Caracas

Leading the commemoration of the 8th anniversary of ALBA were Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, then President of Cuba’s Councils of State and Ministers, and President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro Moro. Photo: Juvenal Balán

The revolutionary government of the Republic of Cuba forcefully denounces the attempted attack on the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro Moros, which occurred Saturday August 4, during a military parade in Caracas, on the occasion of the 81st anniversary of the founding of the Bolivarian National Guard.

This terrorist act, presuming to ignore the will of the Venezuelan people, is yet another desperate attempt to achieve via assassination what has not been possible in multiple elections, or through the 2002 coup against then-President Hugo Chávez, the 2003 oil industry lock-out, or the unconventional war conducted with media campaigns, sabotage, and violent, cruel acts.

The revolutionary government once again condemns the operation being carried out against the legitimate government of Venezuela, as part of imperialism’s policy of harassment to overthrow the Bolivarian Revolution, that includes the arbitrary, aggressive U.S. Executive Order describing Venezuela as “an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy” of the United States; unilateral economic sanctions in violation of international law; the statement by the U.S. Secretary of State asserting that the Monroe Doctrine remains in full effect and calling for a military coup against the constitutional government of Venezuela; and the U.S. President’s threat of using “a possible military option” against the country.

July 14, 2017, Army General Raúl Castro Ruz warned:

“The coup plotting aggression and violence in Venezuela hurts all of Our America and only benefits the interests of those who are intent upon dividing us, to exert their domination over our peoples, regardless of the conflicts generated with incalculable consequences in the region, as we are witnessing in different places around the world.

“We forewarn today that those who attempt to overthrow the Bolivarian Chavista Revolution, via unconstitutional, violent, coup-plotting methods, will assume a serious responsibility before history.”

The revolutionary government expresses its full, unwavering solidarity with Venezuela and its unconditional support to President Nicolás Maduro Moros and the civic-military of the Bolivarian Chavista people.

As the President of the Councils of State and Ministers of the Republic of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, said this past July 17, within the context of the Sao Paulo Forum’s 24th meeting, we must “strengthen the conviction that to fight for Venezuela is to fight for the region’s integration, for respecting the sovereignty and independence of Our America.”

The Argentine posted to social media to denounce the attack on Maduro during a military event. Maradona addressed the attempt against the life of the Venezuelan president, stating that an attack on the leader of the Bolivarian Revolution is an attack on the people of Venezuela.

The diminutive world cup champion added that Venezuela “does not surrender” before urging for strength for his “dear friend!”

The attack on the Venezuelan president took place during a ceremony to commemorate the 81st anniversary of the Bolivarian National Guard, in Caracas.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said Sunday that the attempt on Maduro’s life was a manifestation of frustration against the president as well as state officials.